Old age gig gear choices.

[hamerhead]

I haven't played out in a while but it was always 2-3 guitars, a big pedalboard, and 2 amps, with an amp and tiny pedalboard in the car for backups.

Today we're doing a thing (house-band-at-a-jam kinda thing) and my gear consists of what will do the job with the least amount of weight - 1 guitar (Daytona), 1 amp (Fender Deluxe Tone Master) and a significantly down-sized board. One trip, bare bones, no backups.

It's the first time I've ever chosen gear simply by weight over my usual comfort-food heavy-ass go-to pieces.

Anyone else doing that? It feels weird, but I'm the only person who will notice or give a shit.

[RobB]

Two guitars

Splawn Comp22 head

Solid pine 2x12 slant cab w/WGS speakers (appx. 30lbs).

VoodooLabs Dingbat Small pedalboard (Wah [on floor]), Peterson Mini, SoloDallas Storm, Univibe, Boss DD-8.

Compact, lightweight and killer. 

Edited February 21 by RobB

[LucSulla]

I used to bring three guitars, but I usually only bring two now. 

I still have a fairly large board, but I downsized from a Friedman Tour Pro something or another with a patch/buffer bay to a Pedaltrain that's about 2/3 size. Think I was down to only six pedals, including my wireless module, but a JHS mini tremolo made its way back on.

I've never gigged combos because I mostly don't like open back cabs, but even back in high school decided I'd rather take an extra trip that lug an 80 pound combo around. But I do tend to not force the issue sizewise as much as I used to. If I can get away with the Atma and a 1x12 or compact 2x12, then I run it.  

I still have a couple of 4x12s, but it's been years since they went anywhere. 

[BruceM]

I play out a few times a year with Famous Volcanoes.  I'm the bass player in that group, and my rig now consists of an Eden Traveler bass amp, which fits nicely into a soft-sided briefcase and weighs about 15 lbs, along with a Phil Jones Bass C5 cabinet which is roughly a cubic foot and weighs 25 lbs.  I'm also now playing short scale basses, most often my Reverend Wattplower.  Although I could load in with a single trip, there's no need at most venues.  The amp setup is pictured below.  It was a game-changer for me, and it sounds fantastic on stage.

I'm old now, though.  This fall, I'll be 70, and I have a history of big music parties on my decade birthdays.  Hmmmm, let the planning commence.

[RobB]

42 minutes ago, LucSulla said:

I still have a couple of 4x12s, but it's been years since they went anywhere. 

I use a JCM800 half stack at our practice space (with a Purple Plexi +Boost cuz, y’know, MORE Marshall). Nothing else fills a room and gets THAT sound, but the travel rig gets very close. 

[Jakeboy]

As recently as a decade ago it was always 3 guitars on a gig, one set up in open G for slide. If I was gigging now, it would be 2 guitars, a combo amp, and no more than 3 pedals.

I continual to get more minimalistic at jams and usually am happiest with a nice guitar plugged into a nice amp that is cranked into distortion. So that means an attenuator.  No pedals usually. When there is a pedal involved it is a tape echo like a Belle Epoch Deluxe a fuzz, or maybe a treble booster. But usually nothing but a cable. I do like an EP preamp as an always on thing.  But for me, a really nice guitar into a really nice amp is all that’s needed for blues, soul, and blues-rock. As I age, less is more.

[BoogieMKIIA]

I bring two guitars, one is typically a spare and doesn't get played. Dingbat medium pedal board with various pedals, Boogie MKIIA 60 W combo, backpack with various accessories, cables and Quilter US Superblock as a backup.

The other guys in the band help with lifting. If not for a second guitar I can get it in one load using a Flatform cart.

I could gig with the Quilter and save bulk using a 1x12 cabinet. I prefer a speaker but could use this without if I got guitar via in ears or monitor. A smaller pedal board could be done.

I have a difficult time changing guitars mid set. Once we get going there is not much time to switch and I get a good variety of tone with my Tele and pedals.

[Dutchman]

I'll bring 2, 3 if it requires an acoustic. Small combo amp, medium pedal board. I've been fiddling with the Line 6 stuff again. I hated it before, just didn't sound right. They've improved. Bar Gigs are far and Few between after I turned 70. But the house party kinda thing is still fun. Play songs people like to sing along with. Everybody's happy! No fist fights or flying bottles....

Edited February 21 by Dutchman

[veatch]

The 4x12s never leave the house anymore. I can't remember the last time I even took a 2x12 out. (and I have a few good ones : )  

The egnater stuff is really light. That was a factor when I bought the first one. 

Pedalboard is larger than I'd like, but it does sound good.

3, sometimes 2 guitars, though. I like getting them out of the house when I can. : )

[cmatthes]

I used to schlep around a Trace Elliot full stack (800w Head, 4X10H and 1X15H), a TU-2 and a Bass Driver, with a rotating cast of basses - usually 2 or 3 per gig (Mostly Hamer Chaps or 2TEK Cruisebasses, and to be stupid either a B-12M or a B-12S.  I distinctly remember some 2 and 3 story back stairways or long twisty load-ins with those.  That's a far younger man's game.

Life (and my back) have changed over the last few decades - I started by cutting down to mostly the 1x15H cab only and either a 2TEK Cruisebass, a B-4M, or a quilt maple Chap, but then I added a 2TEK P-Bass here and there for variety.  TU-2 and BassDriver always made the ride.

About 6-7 years ago, I switched over to an Ampeg FlipTop style PF-500 head and PF-115HE - the lighter weight, single unit and casters helped immensely with load in/out, and it sounds great miked or direct, but has power on tap too.  Still took the BassDriver/TU-2 to most gigs, but also schlepped my DP3-X or a Tech21 Bass FlyRig (depending upon whether a Rock Cover gig or the Americana Band).  Basses are whatever I feel like fits - Still love the B-4M and a 2TEK Cruise, but have also been playing the 2TEK P-Bass, the Stike'd Blue Paisley semihollow P-Bass (w/a pair of TVJ Thunder Trons and flats), another Stike'd Blue Flake Tele Bass (with 3 TVJ Thunder Trons), a Thunderbird or (especially with the Americana band) a Harry White Rickenbacker 4005XC with flats.  Depending upon the gig (outdoor v indoor mostly), I've also relied more on a TC Electronics PolyTune, since it shows up so much better than the TU-2 in higher light.

For Xmas, the fambly got me a shiny new Fender Rumble 500 amp, which is super light, but can get loud as hell and sounds great.   Looking forward to taking out for the summer gigs!

[beezerboy]

jam night... 1 guitar and a minimal pedal board. jams around here are back lined. gig night, add one guitar and an amp. between me and the other guitar guy there might be another amp... depends on how far away from home base, more than about half hour drive or so we take a spare. I'm thinking about an expanded board again but local stages are crowded.   the shortened version has a Flint (reverb and trem), an Echoplex (small version) Keely booster pedal, and a tuner. 

[Saul Goodman]

17 hours ago, Dutchman said:

But the house party kinda thing is still fun. Play songs people like to sing along with. Everybody's happy! No fist fights or flying bottles....

You shoulda seen my house parties. 

[bubs_42]

My gear progressively got bigger as gigging went on. First gig was a Marshall Class 5, 3 Pedals including a tuner, and two guitars. Last Gig East Club 18 2x10 Combo, 1x12 Extention Cab, 10 Pedals on a 10x23 Homemade Pedalboard, and 3 Guitars in a Crypt. 

If I did it today, it would be my Dr Z Z28MKII, 3 Guitars in a travel Case and my Small board in a backpack with all my cables. 

Weight, there is always ways around the weight, fantastic options that didn’t exist 10 years ago as far as small lightweight dolly’s, travel cases, gig bags. If you can make it into the gig, in one trip you’re doing good. 

[stobro]

Many years ago when I was gigging occasionally, my bass rig was determined by what could fit in my car and what could be carried through narrow doorways. It seemed there were always obstacles to wheeled transport- high curbs, thresholds, stairs. I got a couple of lightweight neodymium magnet 2X10s I could stack vertically for cramped stages. Since it was bass, one instrument was enough for any gig. Sometimes I had enough room in the car for tubs full of PA cables and extensions cords in addition to my own stuff.

[Stike]

When Brooks and I were in a cover band together ten-ish years ago I was rocking a Zoom G5 that sent a signal to FOH and another to a powered wedge for stage volume. After 3 sets from 10pm-2am I would be ready to gtf out of there and could get to the car with just one trip.

Current band is WAY different. 😂

I did recently pickup an Orange Pedal Baby power amp (7 pounds) and pairing it with a Friedman IR-J sounds absolutely killer, will definitely be using that for occasions where a "fun" backline isn't feasible.

[django49]

If I REALLY want a small and light rig, this will do it. Amp in one hand, gig bag on my back. Thump of a 4 x 12 for arena hard rock? Of course not. But this has shared the stage next to a half stack and various vintage and boutique amps in a more typical venue and acquitted itself quite well.....Never bested, IMHO......(Best comment from the other folks? "WTF IS that thing?")

The optional back up guitar is a cheap import that has been highly modded and is very versatile. (Longer story on that one!) One of these days I will take it out as my "main" guitar just to prove how good it is.....

[scottcald]

Back in the day, I started with a 2 channel Marshall 50 watt 1x12. The dirt channel was stupidly shrill, so I used the full sounding clean channel an MXR Distortion II. SD-1, and an HM-1 for different drive tones.  Later, I got a Peavey VTM120 with the Peavey 412F ported cab. 
I then got an Ibanez analog delay and a wah.  Powered all but the MXR with a DOD power supply and made all the connectors.  My dad built a board for me.  We lined it all up, measured and he built the box.  Painted white inside to see onstage and black with latches outside.  He got foam for the lid because Velcro you could get back then wasn’t strong enough, so it kept it all in place. 
then I made an A/B switch, used the VTM for gain sounds and the clean Marshall with an Ibanez rack chorus/delay for cleans.  
When I started being the guy with the PA, I got rid of all that and got on the modeling bandwagon.   Got a 1x12 and a couple smaller heads and some pedals now for different situations. 
Easiest setup is a Helix with Variax that can do loads of tones and they’ll switch with the patch/scene.  Smallest if you only need two tones or a tone and a lead boosted, would be ToneX one. 

[Willie G. Moseley]

Swtiched from primarily utilizing a long scale bass to a short scale bass.

[velorush]

A contrarian method. Direct to FOH: amp sound, extra dirt, echo and wobble. Fits in an old briefcase. XLR cable, guitar cable and power cord. 

... and for guitar, one of these guys

To summarize: one old briefcase and one guitar gig bag. I can even hold the door for others. 

[Jimbilly]

 I can do 'one trip' load-in from the car for bass on Sunday mornings, which surprises me sometime:  DI to the house from a tech21 bass fly rig (still super happy with that), Roland bass cube 30 on my little 3pc wooden stand pointed at me, - the bass-cube is a surprisingly good sounding amp. I have a bigger bass cab, which is rarely needed but it fun sometimes: GK 212 Neo ii, I would have a really hard time buying a multi speaker bass cab that didn't have Neodymium magnet speakers. Pretty recently I found a nice Eden 210xlt for next to nothing, long ago I wanted one of those when I had the 410xlt, my 212 GK sounds much better/bigger than the 210 and is quite a bit lighter (a small variety of bass heads/preamps to choose from). I'm a big fan of the gk 212 neo.

For guitar I'm usually 2 or 3 trips, it just takes a lot more stuff, but with a fly rig, a small amp (univox u45b would be a common choice) and a headless backup guitar I can do one kind of wobbly trip.

[diablo175]

As mentioned by a few on here, I also streamlined my gear due to the declining willingness/ability to hump a heavy ass cab and amp head along with 3-4 guitars and a gig bag with pedal board and other gig necessities. It's why I went to the Fractal modeling system and I haven't regretted it for a second.

 

My FM-9 in a Gator shoulder case w/ power cable, expression pedal and humbuster cables.

Gig bag with gig necessities- cables, wah pedal, microphone & XLR's, string change kit, ear plugs and/or IEM's, power strips/ extension cords, batteries, etc.   

2 guitars- one Floyded 25.5", one 24.75" hard tail.

One guitar stand. 

Depending on the venue, I sometimes bring a mic stand and a 1 x 12 Head Rush powered speaker. They work well as monitors and, in a pinch, as an amp.

The only potential downside to this set up is being at the mercy of whatever FOH board and stage mains are present, to say nothing of the prowess of the sound man running it. 

2 trips from the car if guitars are in gig bags w/ shoulder straps. 3 trips if stairs are involved and/or the Head Rush monitor has to be used.  

 

[kurtsstuff]

I don't gig anymore but I still like to buy, sell, trade stuff constantly.  When I did gig it was always a Marshall JMP2204 with a Marshall 4x12 with greenbacks. A 6-8 space rack full of "Tone enhancers" fed into said Marshall and all controlled via a prostage  midi foot controller. Today I can't even imagine schlepping all that around  OH! And had a huge PA system as well..lol! Anyways to get to the point..Now I take into consideration the weight of any amp I might be wheeling and dealing on etc..I still don't have any concern for the weight of any guitar I might grab but when and if that day does come..I'm done with the whole thing..lol!

[stedge]

My next gig, i will be taking one small 12 fret rainsong OR ( not, and) an old ovation (1868 i think? Whatever, a shallow one)

 

the rainsong is lighter, but the case is pretty solid and heavy  

 

maybe just go with the naked ovation  tbd  

 

 

 

oh, wait!   I forgot   I will have a strap for whichever i take   And a few picks  

 

 

so friggin boring. 

[Rich_S]

After 30 years acting like a responsible parent/homeowner/employee, I returned to gigging with an ‘80s new wave cover band, averaging about three gigs per month.   Lifting my 42-pound DIY 18 Watter clone (1-12” combo with an unbelievably heavy Classic Lead 80) out of my Camry’s trunk was hurting my back, so I switched to a Quilter Superblock UK and a cab with an Emi neo 12”.  That cut the weight of my heaviest piece, but I still have to carry two Teles in gig bags, the cabinet, a toolbox full of the amp and cables, 16” x 11” pedalboard in a hard case, big bag of misc cables and power cords, an amp stand, and a mic stand.  I recently discarded a 10” powered monitor in favor of in-ears but it’s still a lot of gear to load in and out.

Given all the “other” crap I have to lug, I’m wondering if the 20 pounds I saved switching from the tube combo to the Quilter was actually worth it.  I might switch back to the 18 Watter this year.

[RobB]

Put the Neo in the combo.